Judge Oks Firing Of Cop For Leaving During Flood

The firing of a Des Plaines patrolman for leaving his desk job to help his family during the massive August, 1987, flooding was upheld Wednesday by a Cook County judge.

In her ruling, Circuit Court Judge Sophia Hall pointed out that Clifford Launius, 32, failed to remain in contact with the department or return after he found that his family was safe in their Wheeling home.

Hall said that the decision of the suburb`s board of fire and police commissioners was in line with the weight of the evidence and that the firing of the 8-year veteran ``was not too harsh.``

``Launius disobeyed the lawful order of his supervisor and abandoned his post,`` Hall said. ``In addition, though he argues extenuating circumstances for leaving his post, Launius did not remain in contact with the department and did not even try to return once he had seen to the safety of his house and family, even though he was aware of the flooding threat to Des Plaines.``

``This says something to the police officers of marginal efficiency,``

Kozenczak said. ``I think I made the right decision in suspending him and I would do it again.``

Launius, now an apprentice electrician, said outside court that he has no regrets.

``If I had it to do over again I would do the same thing,`` he said. ``I pity the next police officer who has a problem and meets up with what I did today. It`s a shame.``

Declaring ``I still love the job`` of policeman, Launius said he possibly will apply for a job at another suburban department if his appeal to the Illinois Appellate Court is unsuccessful.

Launius`s attorney, Stanley Jakala, said a key point on appeal will be that Launius`s home phone had become inoperative during the flooding and that nobody from the department contacted him to tell him to come back or that his shift had been extended from 8 hours to 12 hours because of the emergency.

``When his phone started working again, he called the department and was told he was under suspension,`` Jakala said.

Jakala also had argued before Hall last month that Launius was not told that ``a state of emergency`` existed in Des Plaines when he left his post about 9:45 a.m. on Aug. 14, and that such a declaration was not made until about 45 minutes later.

Meanwhile, Launius`s wife, Lori, had become ``panicky`` after the home had become surrounded by flood waters that built up from 9 inches of rain falling in 24 hours. Jakala also said that a replacement was found for Launius within 15 minutes.

However, Richard Martens, attorney for the police board, said the rain had stopped by the time Launius got home so the patrolman ``went to check on his neighbors`` after seeing that his house and family were safe.

``That must have taken him a few seconds,`` Martens said. ``His family was secure and he never had the courtesy to call the department. He knew of the emergency in Des Plaines because it took him 75 minutes to drive to work, when it normally takes him 20 minutes. His actions undermined the command structure. If every officer had left for home there would have been total chaos. This man is not fit to be a police officer.``